1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of boats. More particularly, in one aspect the present invention relates to a boat that has a combination of jet motors and outboard motors for propelling the boat, with each of these motors being selectively engagable by an operator to provide optimum performance to the boat. In another aspect the present invention relates to boats that have one or more jet motors and hydroplanes and optionally outboard motors, the jet motors, hydroplanes and outboards capable of being raised or lowered into the water for providing optimum performance to the boat.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Boats driven by jet pumps are old in the art. As is known, jet pumps or jet motors driving a boat draw water into an impeller through an intake which is below the water line, and eject water through one or more nozzles at the rear of the boat to drive the boat. By changing the direction of the ejected water the operator can influence the direction of movement of the boat in the water. Typically jet pump driven boats may have shallow draft and can be operated in shallow waters. A specialized jet boat with improved hull design and engine placement particularly suitable for fire fighting purposes is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,481. U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,132 describe a shock-absorbing steering system for personal watercrafts which are also driven by a jet pump or jet motor. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,092,260 and 5,193,478 describe personal watercrafts driven by a jet pump which also have specialized ride plates or flaps suitable for acting as a brake or as means to modify and increase the hydrodynamic lift to the moving watercraft.
Boats driven by outboard engines are also well known in the art. Some boats driven by outboard motors have a sufficiently powerful engine and hull shape combination that is capable of partially lifting the boat out of the water, to cause it to hydroplane. It is well known that hydroplaning boats are generally speaking capable of attaining much larger speeds than boats that slide through the water by water displacement only. There are also known boats that have hydroplane fins which when employed allow the hull of the boat to be completely lifted out of the water. A disadvantage of such a boat is that when the hull is lifted out of the water then the propeller of the driving motor is also raised, and may no longer be as efficient in engaging the water as when it is deeper below the water level.
The present invention provides a boat which combines the advantageous features of jet-pump and outboard-motor-driven boat, optionally combined with retractable and extendable hydroplane fins, and allows an operator to optimize performance of the boat under varying conditions and speeds of travel.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention a boat has one or more jet pumps with appropriate water intakes and jet nozzles to drive the boat and one or more outboard motors to drive the boat. In another aspect of the invention, a boat has one or more jet pumps and/or one or more outboard motors and/or one or more hydroplane fins allowing the hull of the boat to be lifted out of the water for fast hydroplaning motion. The hydroplane fins of such boats are extendable and retractable and the one or more jet pumps and/or outboard motors are movably mounted and can be lowered so as to be disposed below the water level in efficient operating position even when the hydroplane fins are extended and the hull of the boat is lifted out of the water for fast hydroplaning motion.